A sense of exhilaration followed me as I left Dene Harlow’s art studio. The previous 2 hours had been spent with a man whom I define as a “true artist.” By his own definition a true artist creates for the pure joy of the process rather than for the hope that someone will buy his artwork. Dene is an acrylic painter and has been for the past 6 decades. He LOVES his paintings and it shows. At one point he walked over to a large row of 24”x 48” paintings and hugged them. That gesture tickled me because I could sense the raw emotion he feels for his creations.
Reared in Rifle, Colorado, Dene has now painted for over 6 decades. Primarily self-taught, he is inspired by nature, the mountains, and the ocean. He and his wife, Teresa, travel extensively and Dene takes thousands of photo references for his paintings. He can look at nature and visualize a painting. He paints primarily landscapes, seascapes, and cityscapes. Chuckling, Dene commented, “I’m a scape artist.”
At the age of 5, Dene noticed that his cousin, also 5 years old, could draw and paint with remarkable talent. “I want to do that,” he thought and believed that he would one day be a painter. The town of Rifle boasted one artist at that time and Dene did take a lesson from her. However, as a child he had no space to paint. This fact may have caused him to adopt the theory that he needed to create spaces to paint wherever he lived even if it were simply at the kitchen table. His philosophy to “keep at it no matter what” has led to the prolific painter that he is today. His studio contains over 100 finished paintings. It may also have contributed to his chosen medium of acrylic paint which employs water as a solvent rather than the more toxic mineral spirits used with oil paint.
After returning from active duty in the navy at 22 years of age, Dene wanted to live in a big city. He chose Philadelphia. There he hung out with a group of friends who were students at the Philadelphia College of Art. Although not enrolled as a student himself, Dene audited the art classes that his friends attended and began to paint in earnest. He’d paint “stuff I could see.” Bob Ross videos helped Dene learn techniques. Watching others paint was a lesson in itself as Dene developed his own style. At this point Dene’s greatest challenge lies in painting people. He has begun to add people to his landscapes. A delightful example is his painting of the Albuquerque Balloon Festival. In the foreground he painted himself and his wife, Teresa, along with other family members and friends. Dene has fun with his art. “I’m about the art, not making a living,” he says.
OF DENE HARLOW
Although Dene is most drawn to realism, he has dabbled in surrealism. When he was 23 years old he visited the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. and saw Salvador Dali’s painting “The Sacrament of the Last Supper.” He was fascinated by the ghost-like image of Christ hovering above the table where the living Christ was sitting with his disciples. As with his landscapes, Dene realized that he could create an image from his imagination and transfer it to canvas rather than rely on a photo reference. Last year he painted the image he received during a migraine attack when his vision was affected by the migraine auras. The resulting painting is entitled “Ocular Supernova. It measures 24” x 36” and is currently on display at the West 29th Restaurant and Bar in Wheat Ridge.
There’s a fascinating painting on his easel. This 40” x 30” canvas has the working title of “Full Circle,” and will be displayed at Dene’s funeral. (No…he’s not terminally ill.) It depicts the sun rising over the horizon. There’s a hill in the foreground sloping down to a lake lined with evergreen trees. Dene’s plan is to paint himself holding his arm out to the glowing sky. In his hand will be a newborn baby. He will be glancing back over his shoulder as he walks into the “great unknown.” “Death is a part of life,” Dene said quietly as he explained that the expression on the man’s face will capture that on the face of his brother in the last photograph taken of him before he died from cancer. This isn’t meant to be a review, but the concept of this painting is powerful.
Another eye catching piece sits on an upper shelf of Dene’s studio. It’s 10 feet long and 10 inches high depicting the California Zephyr train with the Rocky Mountains in the background. The sheer length of this painting begs attention. I can imagine Dene’s delight in painting that canvas. A traveler at heart he depicts many of favorite landscapes from around the world. He confessed to taking thousands of photographs to use as painting references while handing out thousands of business cards to fellow passengers on the many cruises that he and Teresa have taken.
Creative in other areas Dene has earned praise for stained glass window panels, models from wood, and macramé wall hangings. Avagadro’s Number restaurant in Fort Collins has displayed several of Dene’s macrame pieces for over 40 years. However, his paintings are his life’s blood. “Painting keeps me alive,” he said. Painting has established in Dene a vehicle for keeping him grounded and has become a constant thread throughout his life. Dene believes that art feeds his soul. It keeps him in touch with himself and being able to create what he visualizes. Dene’s creativity is not confined by any self-consciousness. He loves what he does and it shows. While painting almost every day Dene and his art keep moving forward.
Dene’s paintings can be found on his website, www.dharlowarts.com and at his studio in Arvada, Colorado. He has work in both personal and
